


Dead End

by Aeris444



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Dark!Arthur, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 15:34:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20230195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aeris444/pseuds/Aeris444
Summary: It was a dead end. Now Merlin could see it clearly. He had been blind during the past six years, he had not seen how Arthur had slowly trapped him.





	Dead End

**Author's Note:**

> Not betaread. Sorry for writing something like that just after the Holidays ;-)

It was a dead end. Now Merlin could see it clearly. He had been blind during the past six years, he had not seen how Arthur had slowly trapped him.

  


Merlin was trapped indeed. Locked up in a relationship that had probably never been based on love. There only had been domination and control. Arthur had excelled in both. Merlin had seen nothing.

  


But here he was, without a job, without money, living in Arthur’s house, cut off from all his friends.

  


Arthur would never let him go, Merlin knew that… And running away wasn’t an option neither. He had nowhere else to go. No friends and his mother… No, he couldn’t go back to her and admit he had let himself been controlled like that.

  


Because Merlin knew he had played his part in that game… When Arthur had suggested he stopped working to devote himself to his painting, he had accepted. When Arthur had wanted to spend more time with Merlin in their house, Merlin had been the one to come up with false excuses to refuse his friend’s invites. When Arthur had convinced him no to take part in his first exhibition because he would be depressed if it didn’t go well, Merlin had followed his advice. Even in bed, Merlin had let Arthur guide him, taking Arthur’s desires for his own.

  


Merlin had followed… It had been so easy. Arthur gave him money, a feeling of safety and love...Or what Merlin had thought was love.

  


Merlin hadn’t realised that Arthur has slowly built a cage around him.

  


Even his painting had been affected… And it’s through his art that Merlin had finally realised something wasn’t right.

  


For weeks now he had been struggling with inspiration. Starting something and abandoning it just a few hours later. He was never satisfied. He was frustrated.

  


In the past, painting had been a way to relax, to travel to the end of the world, to let go all his emotions. Now it was a chore, a source of stress.

  


As he was searching for an idea, Merlin browsed his past works and as he looked at the paintings, going back in time, an evolution appeared…

  


In the past years, Merlin’s works had gone from brightly coloured to a darker colour palette. Where there had been lively strokes and large movements, there was now small touches and shaky lines.

  


Merlin’s painting had died along himself.

  


Sadly, that revelation didn’t change anything. It only made it worse. Merlin was now aware that he was trapped in a relationship that had and would only bring him misfortune. And with no escape in view…


End file.
